Twenty-four young Nebraskans from every corner of the state recently gathered in Norfolk to kick off a summer of uncovering the unseen assets that make their communities unique and working with local leaders to make an impact on the places they love.

As they floated down the North Fork of the Elkhorn River to end their opening retreat, Nebraska Community Foundation’s (NCF) 2025 class of Hometown Interns pondered the months of discovery that lay ahead of them. This year’s group of interns – the seventh class since the initiative began – are working with NCF affiliated funds in Arnold, Perkins County, Hebron, Deshler, Byron, Bertrand, Callaway, Diller, Friend, Holt County, Howells, Leigh, McCook, Red Cloud, Shickley, Spencer and Verdigre. This year, six affiliated funds will be working with two or more interns.

A Hometown Intern is a current high school graduate who has spent at least six months away and lives at home for the summer. All have displayed curiosity, open-mindedness, flexibility, a desire to see their hometown through fresh eyes and a drive to contribute to the future of their community. Interns are compensated for their work through a generous gift from an anonymous donor to NCF, which is matched by their affiliated fund.

Interns also participate in Operation Discovery – a course designed to help them unleash their vision, creativity, and passion while they build relationships within their hometowns. The course is split into four sections. In the first, interns are tasked to identify and share three overlooked assets in their places. Next, they hold one-on-one asset mapping conversations with a friend, a member of their local fund advisory committee (FAC) and a new acquaintance. Their penultimate task is to co-host with their FAC an informal discovery conversation with a group of residents. Finally, their internship ends with writing and sharing a love letter to their hometown, reflecting on the insights gained from a summer of learning.

While the specific projects will vary from one internship to another, NCF will provide numerous opportunities for interns to connect throughout the summer to give them space to learn from each other, share ideas and foster appreciation for their hometowns while contributing to community development efforts at the local and statewide level.

The 2025 NCF Hometown Interns include: Gracie Neth, Arnold Community Fund Ava Pandorf, Callaway Community Fund Delaney Rogers, Arnold Community Fund Bryn Schwarz, Arnold Community Fund